[ARflowerstar]

**Disclaimer: NO, I did not post this in the wrong section, I WILL get to bipolar disorder related part, but the first part is relevant.

Sorry for the long post, but please read!

I'm 17 and just had my 10th round (out of 12) of ECT after an episode of severe depression that had me admitted to the psych ward as an involuntary patient (against my will) for 4 ****ing months following what doctors say was a "clinically significant overdose". I almost died and ended up in ICU connected to a million tubes and wires and machines. For the first 3 months I had so much med changes/increases. But I was still severely depressed, had very strong thoughts and intentions of going through with killing myself. I was sleeping all day, and then slept all night. Being awake was torturous, all I wanted was to be gone. To stop thinking, to just make everything stop.

By the 4th month, they started ECT. Having it done 3x a week, at first I didn't think that the ECT was doing anything and then and I started noticing a change.

However the past couple treatments I've been noticing a significant difference, feeling better than the last, and obviously, I am very happy that I feel better. It feels great to feel great. However I've noticed it to be almost like a "high" and i feel very very energetic/positive/talkative/random/hyperactive. I have heard of/done research online about "ECT induced mania/hypomania" and was wondering if anyone has had experience/knowledge with this.

Even my staff (The child and youth worker assigned to me on the psych unit today, and the worker yesterday,) has told me that i'm acting bizarre or saying weird things. But I honestly just feel excited/relaxed/happy.

Yesterday my mom was so concerned, (along with the hospital staff) that they were convinced that I had overdosed on something because of my "strange" behaviour, and had to do a full blood workup on me and medical tests to "make sure" i hadn't overdosed, no matter HOW hard i tried to convince them that I didn't do anything. They just viewed it has even more suspicious behaviour because i was trying "too hard to convince/manipulate" them that i was fine (because I was)

Anyways, sorry for the insanely long post, and btw I have NOT been diagnosed with ANY type of bipolar disorder, however I'm concerned I may possibly have it because I read that ECT can cause mania to "surface from hiding" for people who have never been manic, OR been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, but if you do get ECT induced mania, it proves you have Bipolar disorder, because it exacerbates symptoms and make them show up faster.(According to what I've read online, I'm no expert, especially since I'm not diagnosed with bipolar disorder)

[wildflowerchild25]

I’ve had ECT three times. The first time was similar to you. I was in the hospital forever and meds were not touching my severe depression. ECT finally pulled me out of the funk. However I did not get manic from it.

However, a couple of months after it ended my dr in the partial program said I was hypomanic. I dismissed her because I thought I was just happy finally after years of being unhappy. Looking back I can recognize some hypomanic symptoms but they didn’t ruin my life so I don’t suppose it matters.

If antidepressants can flip someone into mania surely ECT could too. I hope you find a resolution to your issue. I hope you do not have bipolar disorder but if you do maybe a mood stabilizer or something of that ilk is needed. I hope you will continue to work with your doctors in IP to make sure you are truly stable before you leave.

[gubernova]

Have had ECT done, four treatments of 12. Always helped me get out of catatonic depression. Now it’s even better bc they have techniques to lower the seizure threshold without you having to stop benzos and certain mood staibilizers. If you don’t feel any improvements they usually stop after a few sessions. Never had problem with mania. Don’t confuse happiness with hypomania. Maybe your just happy to be out of the hole.

[Daonnachd]

I’ve had a lot of ECT done but never experienced mania or hypomania as a result. I would like to add, however, that I’ve also done tons of reading about ECT. I have come across various statements, both clinical research and personal experience, describing ECT-induced mania. It is out there.